by MeredithNMills | Jun 24, 2016 | Family, Hope in the Midst of Heartache, Identity in Christ, Uncategorized, Walking by Faith
“What did you swallow?” the triage attendant asks incredulously.
I brace myself and repeat for the hundredth time. “I swallowed the tab from a soda can.”
“What did you swallow?”
“How’d you do that?”
I know. I already feel stupid. Who does this sort of thing?
I’m not your everyday ER patient. I’m not a child who put something weird in her mouth. I wasn’t drunk or otherwise impaired. I’m just a mom who was watching her kids at swim team practice.
Earlier that morning, when I grabbed a can of La Croix and dashed out the door, I had no idea how the day was about to change. When the darling, adorable child pulled off the tab and dropped it inside, I didn’t know I should throw the can in the garbage right that very moment. It never crossed my mind that one could actually swallow something as big as an aluminum tab – before even realizing what had happened.
Nope, I didn’t know any of that – until today.
Now I’m rather an expert on such things.
Two sets of x-rays, 5+ hours in the ER and an endoscopy… still no tab. It left its mark – I can feel the scratch down my throat. But the tab itself has officially gone into hiding.
Quite a frustrating, unpleasant day. Not one I’d like to repeat. Ever.
But it wasn’t all bad. In fact, as I ponder it in retrospect, I’m struck by one thing – the Body of Christ is truly an amazing gift.
My sweet friend at swim team practice dropped everything and drove me home, then cared for my kids all day. My precious hubby cleared his schedule and sat with me in the emergency room. My family and church family prayed. Lots of people sent offers of help via text message. And the GI doctor, who called me after I left the hospital, asked if he could pray for me over the phone. His prayer brought me to tears. He called on God our Healer and Provider and lifted me before the Lord in Jesus’ name.
We Christians have been born again into a truly incredible community!
We are family!
Church friends, long-time friends, new friends, even total strangers…if we’re Christians, we all have one thing in common. We love Jesus. And because of that, we are family.
Right now, story after story is washing over me as I remember God’s love poured out through His people.
Like when our whole church rejoiced at my oldest child’s baptism.
And when concerned friends brought meals during my sick days of pregnancy.
And when a dear man from church sent my little boy a note to say that he’s praying for him.
And when loved ones cried with us as we grieved a miscarriage.
In joys and sorrows, achievements and losses – we’ve been through it all together. This is how it’s supposed to work. This is the Body functioning as God planned. What a beautiful gift!
I know, it’s not happiness and harmony all the time. We the collective Church are human. We’ve been forgiven and made new, but we don’t always act like it. Sometimes we hurt each other – sometimes even on purpose. Oh, how the devil loves to tear us apart!
But we need each other. We need committed friendships and regular fellowship that we aren’t quick to walk away from. It’s worth working at, working through, and working beyond the issues that separate. It’s worth swallowing our pride and admitting when we’re wrong. It’s worth overlooking offenses, extending forgiveness, accepting differences and learning from each other.
Who do you do life with?
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Eccl 4:9-10, 12).
This gift of community is priceless.
So today, I’m asking myself – how well am I contributing to the Body of Christ? Am I as willing to serve others as they have been to me? Am I pursuing growth and unity out of love for Jesus?
How about you? How are you doing? What community of believers do you do life with and how have you ministered to one another? I’d love to hear!
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by MeredithNMills | Apr 24, 2016 | Identity in Christ, Uncategorized, Walking by Faith
Sometimes our vision changes.
Walking with Jesus
When I set out on this blogging journey, my goal was to chronicle my walk with Christ. I was at the tail end of a pretty dark season. Life had recently come crashing down around me, and everything I thought I believed came into question. (To read more, please check out My Journey.)
“Two things I’m certain about,” I confided in a friend. “The Bible is the Word of God, and I’m saved by the blood of Jesus. Beyond that, I just don’t know right now.” Specific Christian doctrine, practical Christian living…it all needed to be reexamined.
Thankfully, those two certain beliefs are the bedrock of our faith and our God is a Master Rebuilder.
For a time, I thought I needed to rebuild my faith through prayer and Bible study, but then I came across the following verse in Colossians 2:7: “Having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith…” All those verbs – they’re in the passive tense, meaning I’m not the one doing them. Rather, I’m receiving the actions of Another.
Maybe that seems trivial, like mere semantics, but it took a weight off my shoulders. I realized that, just as God rooted me in Him at salvation, so He Himself is building and establishing my faith. My role is to abide in Him and welcome His work in me. (See John 15.)
During the course of this rebuilding project, I’ve learned that “identity” is a core issue in the Christian faith – most importantly, an accurate knowledge of God is essential. Of secondary, but also vital, importance is knowing my own identity as a child of God. These two things are like lenses through which I view and interact with the world around me.
Looking at life through the lens of identity
God showed me that my understanding was flawed in both areas. So I’ve been taking notes as I read through Scripture of everything I see related to those two issues. My big, thick journal is almost full because, guess what? God has LOTS to say about identity. (And I’m not even half-way through the Bible yet!)
He longs to be known! And He wants us to know who we really are, too.
So I think it’s time to shift the focus here, or rather to “zoom in” on this aspect of our faith. I’d like to share with you what I’m learning, and I’d really love to learn from your journey, as well. Together, in the Body of Christ, we have the greatest treasure the world has ever known – friendship with God. Because He drew near, we can know Him and be secure in Him.
So stay tuned and prepare to be…encouraged!
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by MeredithNMills | Mar 10, 2016 | Uncategorized
Contentment…it sounds blissful, does it not?
I think of resting in a beach hammock – a warm breeze whispering through palm trees, waves lapping against the shore, a good book and a refreshing drink. Peace. Quiet. Beauty. Comfort. Oh yes, I could be content there.
But for most of us, most of the time, reality looks quite different.
My reality looks more like busyness and messiness and overall craziness. And noise. Lots of noise. I often think of Dory from Finding Nemo – “Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.”
Over the last few days, I’ve found myself wrestling with contentment. True to His character, God met me tonight in my place of struggle and whispered this reminder in my heart: “…Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim 6:6).
Paul, who penned the above verse, also said this about contentment: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Phil 4:11). He had learned. It didn’t come naturally to him. He said, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Phil 4:12).
I find it interesting that Paul had to learn contentment in times of plenty. I often think I’d naturally be content if I just had (fill in the blank). But Paul knew that things never satisfy. Even in plenty, the human heart craves more. (See Prov 27:20.)
So how can we, like Paul, learn this secret to contentment? As with any struggle we face, God starts in our hearts and minds. When we know the truth, we experience freedom. God transforms us by renewing our minds. (See Jn 8:32, Rom 12:2, Col 3:10.)
Here’s what I realized as I pondered this issue today. If I’m discontent, I’m probably doing one (or both) of the following:
- believing that circumstances control my happiness
- comparing myself to someone else.
If circumstances control my happiness, then I am a victim. I cannot rise above the struggles or pain or challenges that come my way. I’m stuck here until something changes – which could be forever, if I’ve experienced loss or been deeply wounded or feel shame over past sin.
If I’m comparing myself to someone else, my focus is misplaced. I’m wishing for what God has given another, instead of embracing the gifts He’s given me – the life, the ministry, the work, the talents, the story… (2 Cor 10:12).
Once I recognize the lies I’m believing, I can capture them and subject them to the truth of Scripture (2 Cor 10:3-5):
- I am complete in Christ (Col 2:10).
- God has removed my sin as far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12).
- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).
- God gives beauty for ashes (Is 61:3).
- God assigns my areas of influence and ministry (2 Cor 10:13).
- God has given me everything I need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).
- God richly supplies all of my needs, for my provision and enjoyment (Phil 4:19, 1 Tim 6:17).
- I have a heavenly inheritance (1 Pet 1:4).
- God’s grace is enough (2 Cor 12:9).
The richest people on earth are those whose hearts are satisfied – with Jesus and the gifts He has given.
How about you? Any thoughts on this issue? What causes you to feel discontent? How do you choose contentment? I’d love to hear from you!
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by MeredithNMills | Feb 5, 2016 | Uncategorized
Rejection…oh, how it stings.
We don’t live long on this planet before encountering it. So many emotions come into play – pain, anger, disillusionment, loneliness, despair…
Jesus knew this pain well.
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus shared an intimate meal with His closest earthly friends. Only two people in that room knew what was about to transpire. Judas, chosen as friend and disciple, would soon betray his Teacher into the hands of murderers. Jesus knew of Judas’ plans, yet He knelt and washed Judas’ feet. His dusty, dirty feet. Feet that would lead the killers to Jesus.
What an act of unheard-of grace.
Jesus knew He would also feel the ruthless pain of abandonment. Each of those beloved friends would run and hide during Jesus’ darkest hour. Except one – Peter would follow at a distance, but when questioned, he would deny even knowing his Friend.
Oh, how deep the pain of rejection.
Even so, Jesus spent the evening loving on His unfaithful friends (Jn 13:1). He washed each of their feet. He prepared them for difficulties to come and gave them promises to hold onto. And He prayed for them (Jn 17).
Jesus saw past His own pain to the needs of His friends.
He told Peter “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:31-32).
He knew that Peter would feel unusable, unforgivable. He would grieve the choice he had made. In rejecting Jesus, Peter’s own heart would break. But Jesus prayed that Peter wouldn’t stay in that dark place – that his faith would not die, but that he would turn back to his friendship with God.
Then Jesus went even further. He prayed for Peter’s ministry after God walked his heart through grace.
Yes, Peter would sin. He would choose self-preservation over faithfulness. He would break the heart of the One he’d pledged faithfulness to unto death (Lk 22:33). But God would bring good out of it and enable Peter to strengthen others as a result.
What beautiful grace radiates from this passage. Grace for the unworthy. Grace for the unfaithful. Grace for the one inflicting the pain. Grace poured out, even before they asked for it.
When I encountered this story a few days ago, God did a deep work in my heart.
This is rarely my response to rejection. I often feel defined by the one who hurt me. Many a time, my world has come crashing down when someone hurt me.
But Jesus did not allow the opinions or actions of others to define Him. He knew His identity and didn’t try to prove Himself or keep men’s approval. (See Phil 2:6-7.) He was free to love, to forgive and to extend grace.
O God, teach me to rest in Your approval. Renew my mind in who You say I am. Then enable me to pray for those who hurt me – for their faith, for their walk with You, for their future ministry.
What about you? How do you respond when faced with rejection? What difference does it make to be “accepted (by God) in the Beloved (Jesus)”? (See Eph 1:6, KJV.)
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by MeredithNMills | Jan 22, 2016 | Uncategorized
I just can’t get over God. His unstoppable, relentless, extravagant love…it astounds me. It undoes me. Nothing in human experience compares to such audacious, undeterred devotion.
Today, I’ve been reading the story of the “prodigal son” (Luke 15). Actually, I think we should call it the story of the “gracious father,” because really, it’s the dad’s response that makes all the difference.
As the story opens, we meet a most undesirable young man. Self-entitled and demanding, he can’t wait to get away from home. He claims his inheritance early and hits the road. Far from home, he squanders his money on sensual living. It all catches up with him, however, when a famine hits and his money runs out. From playboy to pig-keeper, great is his fall. And all those friends who hung around when he had money? Not one to be found.
Sitting in the pig slop, the young man remembers his dad. He recalls his father’s generosity to his servants, and decides maybe, just maybe, his dad would receive him back as a hired hand. So he begins the long journey home. As he walks, he rehearses the speech he will give to prove his penitence. He imagines his dad’s response – the shame and disappointment in his eyes, the anger in his voice, the “I told you so’s” and “things can never be the same” speech he was sure he would get.
Can you imagine his surprise when he sees his dad running toward him? Is he coming to stake a “no trespassing” sign at the gate?
Before a word is out of his mouth, his dad folds him into his arms and begins kissing him.
A bit dazed, the son starts his rehearsed speech. “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” Before he can say another word, his dad interrupts and begins to lavish forgiveness and affirmation on him. He declares a feast and throws a party to celebrate his son’s return.
His son. Not a hired servant, but his son.
In this story, Jesus painted a picture of the heart of our God. Compassionate and approachable. Eager to forgive and to welcome back home. Bountiful and liberal in His gifts toward His kids.
And here’s what I find most amazing. When the father receives his son, he leaves no reminders of who his son once was.
Sure, the son has his memories and the natural consequences of his sin. But that dead person – he’s not dead anymore. That lost boy – he’s home now. He’s no longer a pig-keeper or a playboy. He is a son. He doesn’t have to try or prove or spend his life doing penance. He just is a son and nothing can change that fact.
He has a completely new identity.
And so it is with each of us who call God our Father. We are His kids – dearly beloved, fully accepted, lavishly gifted and intimately known.
While some might think this gives license to sin, I find it to be quite the opposite.
If I am so greatly loved, oh, how I want to love Him back!
If I am a new person, I want my life to reflect that fact.
If I am gifted with the Holy Spirit, I want to give Him free reign in my heart.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 Jn 3:1).
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come” (2 Cor 5:17).
How does a new identity affect the way you think and live?
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